The present disclosure relates to a brewing system or other system for producing food products and/or beverages which uses a heated water system. The heated water system uses a pressurizing apparatus for dispensing heated water from the heated water system for producing beverage or other food product.
A variety of brewing systems heat water and dispense water to a brewing substance to produce a beverage. One form of brewed beverage dispensing system includes a rapid heating chamber in which unheated water is introduced into the rapid heating chamber whereupon it is rapidly heated and dispensed over ground coffee for producing a brewed beverage. This system is often called a “burp and boil” system. It does not allow flow rate control and has small passage ways prone to line buildup.
Another form of brewing system includes a reservoir for retaining a quantity of heated water which is maintained generally at a heated temperature or within a temperature range for use in brewing on demand. In one embodiment of this “on demand brewing system”, water is introduced into a basin which is positioned above the heated water reservoir and communicates with the heated water reservoir. Water flows under force of gravity from the reservoir into the heated water reservoir. Generally, the water is introduced in the bottom of the reservoir where it tends to settle due to temperature differentials between an upper portion and a lower portion of the reservoir. Generally, when water is introduced into the heated water reservoir it displaces a quantity of heated water which is then dispensed through an outlet to a dispensing line onto ground coffee for producing a brewed coffee beverage. The flow of water into and out of the heated water reservoir is controlled by the volume of the water added to the reservoir and gravity or head pressure of the water in the basin.
Some brewing systems known as “siphon system brewers” generally only operate at one flow rate, and provide one volume, that being the volume poured or automatically dispensed into the reservoir. In other words, water is retained in the heated water reservoir with water dispensed into the heated water reservoir displacing water retained in the reservoir. As the volume dispersed displaces water in the reservoir, the amount displaced is generally equal to the volume dispersed. Moreover, the flow rate out of the heated water reservoir is set at a generally fixed flow rate and generally is not controllable or variable.
In “siphon system brewers” the ability to control the water flow may be problematic because the water cannot be pulsed easily or turned on and off during the brewing process. Moreover, due to the operation requirements of a “siphon system brewer” such pulsing or starting and stopping of the water flow may be impossible at lower volumes.
A system which includes a “dump valve” on an outlet line from the reservoir to the brew funnel can be used to pulse or turn the water on and off. This is accomplished by controlling the “dump valve” on and off during the brewing process. However, the use of the valve complicates the control logic for the machine. Additionally, such a brewer requires that a defined amount of head is provided in the reservoir to maintain a constant head pressure across the valve. If the head pressure is constant, then the flow will be constant when the valve is open, so time can be used to achieve brew volume targets. Also, the dimensional and space requirements of the machine generally requires additional height of the machine to maintain the desirable pressures. The head pressure is established at a desirable level so as to provide accuracy in dispensing a predetermined volume during the brewing process.
Additionally, the systems described above have generally smaller water dispensing passage ways or involve control elements (valves). These passage ways are connected to the “heated” side of the brewer such that they dispense heated water from the heated water reservoir. These passage ways can accumulate lime or other material deposits as well as material flakes which otherwise deposit elsewhere in the system. The accumulation of these deposits or particles in the smaller passageways can reduce the flow rate from the desired levels as originally designed for operation of the system and can negatively influence the resulting product. With regard to beverages, such as coffee, the reduced flow rate can negatively influence flavor characteristics of the coffee and provide incorrect brew volume.
The system as disclosed herein uses a cold or unheated water source such as a reservoir or a pressurized inlet feed line, and a heated water reservoir. The unheated water reservoir is pressurized with a pressurizing apparatus communicating with the unheated water reservoir. Such a pressurizing apparatus may include an air pump, bladder or piston arrangement as well as other pressurizing apparatus. The pressurizing apparatus is controllable to push water from the unheated water reservoir to the heated water reservoir. As a result of the pressurization and displacement of the unheated water, heated water is then displaced and forced from the heated water reservoir. Heated water from the heated water reservoir is dispensed to the spray head and over the beverage brewing substance such as coffee for brewing.
In one embodiment, unheated water is introduced in a bottom portion of the heated water reservoir. The outlet line connected to the spray head communicates with an upper portion of the heated water reservoir to allow heated water to exit near the top of the heated water reservoir. This configuration takes advantage of the stratification of different temperature water within the same reservoir to optimize the water temperature being dispensed from the heated water reservoir to the spray head. The pressurizing apparatus may include an air pump which at least in one embodiment is driven by a DC motor. Use of a DC motor allows for control of the dispensing of water from the heated water reservoir. Controlled operation of the DC motor allows for different volumetric flow rates to be dispensed from the heated water reservoir. As a result, the beverage may be brewed at different rates. Also, this embodiment can produce a pulsing of water from the heated water reservoir to the beverage brewing substance. Controlled pulsing can be used to control the contact time during which the beverage brewing substance is in contact with the water to adjust the flavor profile of the finished beverage. The DC motor or other operation of the pressurized system such as the air pump can be controllably programmed to produce a desired recipe.
In this embodiment, the absence of control valves and other devices between the heated water reservoir and the spray head reduces the sites for accumulation or accretion of lime or other minerals in this portion of brewing system. As such, cleaning devices such as brushes, springs or flexible shafts can be extended from the spray head port through the dispense line to the heated reservoir thereby helping to further reduce lime or other mineral deposits which may accumulate and to allow for removal or cleaning of these deposits from the dispense line.
Additional features and embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of drawings.
The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the disclosure that is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner.